From polka dots to bright colours, trends that dominated London Fashion Week
Many designers were inspired by British history and culture for their spring-summer 26 collections and experimented with puffball dresses and upcycled plaid
It's been a season of time travel at the London Fashion Week. Many designers sifted through British history books, looking for design inspiration.
Temperley, for instance, was inspired by the “fern fever" that gripped Britain during the 1800s. Palm tree motifs, synonymous with the 1930s Hollywood, too, informed the pieces. The designer, Alice Temperley, was back from a holiday in Greece, and hence the offering was sublimated with a sense of free-spirited mood. From the floor-length tasseled kaftans to silk-jacquard halterneck maxi dresses and printed cotton dresses, each ensemble reconciled practicality with glamour.
Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic clocked in 20 years and her collection recalled some of her most noteworthy silhouettes. There were bell-sleeved dresses, languid shirt styles, besides capes exemplifying her virtuoso take on fashioning colour stories.
Most designers, who presented at the London Fashion Week, stayed true to their core aesthetic and indulged in storytelling at the crossroads of fashion, culture and the arts. Here are some key trends that emerged:
It's all in the details
Natasha Zinko sent out diaphanous slips accented with cigarette burns; low-waist sweatpants with a worn-out feel; and a panoply of upcycled plaid shirts. What's more, the party pieces comprised a litany of raw-edged little black dresses and minis crafted in frazzled lace. However, the pieces-de-resistance were puffball dresses with pronounced bra cups.
Mark Fast, on the other hand, proposed a summer closet comprising hand-crocheted skirts, bralettes and dresses echoing the house's distinctive style. Each look was fashioned out of a strong yarn that facilitated an exacting body-con fit.
An homage to British heritage
Mithridate under the aegis of Daniel W. Fletcher set a quintessential British mood, serving staples like an Oxford shirt, preppy knits, and double-breasted suits. Featuring 40 looks, Fletcher combined English heritage sensibilities with Chinese savoir-faire and textiles. He also had regatta-enjoying crowds and the King’s Road clubbers of the 1980s on his moodboard. Hence came in classic peacoats, which were morphed into feminine, sculptural silhouettes. He styled the necks of formal, polka-dot evening dresses and loose pastel sweaters with silk tassel scarves.
One of the key looks was a dotted puffball skirt styled with a tough workwear jacket. He also offset striped rugby shirts with sequin slips and presented knit hot pants with riding boots.
Historical and artistic references
Ilincic's shapes and silhouettes were inspired by the work of the great sculptor Dame Barbara Hepworth. From the cutouts that appeared in bodices to exploring 3D volume—the showcase played out her masterful take on textile and silhouette exploration.
No stranger to exploring English history, Erdem Moralioglu was inspired by Helene Smith, a late 19th-century French psychic and artist. The high points were some colourful coats, cape dresses accessorised with crystal jewellery, black tailored tuxedo jackets and striped trouser suits.
Simone Rocha, too, was influenced by Justine Kurland’s 2020 photographic book Girl Pictures and the text “My Dress Rehearsal: or How Mrs. Clarke taught Me How to Sew" by Maureen Freely. Rocha's signature skirts and dresses were exaggerated by crinoline, pannier and trapeze. Crafted in lush organzas, silver sequins, and taffeta, her voluminous skirts worn with bandeau tops epitomised a pubescent, coquettish energy.
Emilia Wickstead took cues from the work of Robert Mapplethorpe. Her showcase started with a series of plaid dresses that were cut, layered around the waist, and was followed by a march of more structured dresses. One of the seminal looks was an eye-popping drop-waist gown accented with bright yellow sequins.
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